Chapter 4

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Chesnut Hill College *

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Economics

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Feb 20, 2024

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1. What is a competitive market? Briefly describe a type of market that is not perfectly competitive. A competitive market is characterized by many buyers and sellers, identical products, perfect information, ease of entry and exit, and price-taking behavior. An example is a market for agricultural commodities like wheat, where many farmers sell nearly identical products. Non-Competitive Market (Monopolistic Competition): In a non-competitive market, there may be fewer sellers with some market power, differentiated products, limited information, and potential barriers to entry. An example is the market for smartphones, with several firms offering differentiated products and engaging in marketing to influence consumer preferences. 2. What are the demand schedule and the demand curve, and how are they related? Why does the demand curve slope downward? The demand schedule and demand curve illustrate the relationship between price and quantity demanded, with the demand curve sloping downward due to the law of demand, which reflects consumer behavior in response to changing prices. 3. Does a change in consumers’ tastes lead to a movement along the demand curve or to a shift in the demand curve? Does a change in price lead to a movement along the demand curve or to a shift in the demand curve? Explain your answers. A change in consumers' tastes leads to a shift in the demand curve. When consumers' preferences or tastes for a product change, it affects their overall willingness to buy that product at any given price, causing the entire demand curve to shift. A change in price leads to a movement along the demand curve. When the price of a product changes, it causes consumers to adjust the quantity demanded, moving up or down along the existing demand curve. This change in quantity demanded due to a price change is represented as a movement along the curve, not a shift in the curve itself. 4. Harry’s income declines, and as a result, he buys more pumpkin juice. Is pumpkin juice an inferior good or a normal good? What happens to Harry’s demand curve for pumpkin juice? Pumpkin juice is an inferior good in this scenario. When Harry's income declines, and he buys more of an inferior good like pumpkin juice, it indicates that he is shifting his consumption towards lower-priced alternatives due to the income decrease. As a result of Harry's income decline and increased consumption of pumpkin juice, his demand curve for pumpkin juice shifts to the right. This shift represents an increase in quantity demanded at all price levels, reflecting his response to the income change.
5. What are the supply schedule and the supply curve, and how are they related? Why does the supply curve slope upward? The supply schedule and supply curve illustrate the relationship between price and quantity supplied, with the supply curve sloping upward due to the profit incentive for producers to supply more as prices increase, considering the opportunity cost and profitability of production. 6. Does a change in producers’ technology lead to a movement along the supply curve or to a shift in the supply curve? Does a change in price lead to a movement along the supply curve or to a shift in the supply curve? A change in producers' technology leads to a shift in the supply curve. Technological advancements can increase production efficiency, lower costs, and shift the entire supply curve outward or inward. A change in price leads to a movement along the supply curve. When the price of a product changes, it causes producers to adjust the quantity they are willing to supply, resulting in a movement up or down along the existing supply curve, rather than a shift in the curve itself. 7. Define the equilibrium of a market. Describe the forces that move a market toward its equilibrium. The equilibrium of a market is a state in which the quantity demanded of a good or service by consumers matches the quantity supplied by producers at a specific price. Forces such as price adjustments, changes in consumer and producer behavior, market information, government policies, and external shocks act to move a market toward its equilibrium, ensuring that the quantity supplied matches the quantity demanded. 8. Beer and pizza are complements because they are often enjoyed together. When the price of beer rises, what happens to the supply, demand, quantity supplied, quantity demanded, and price in the market for pizza? When the price of beer, a complement to pizza, rises, it leads to a decrease in the demand for pizza, a decrease in the quantity demanded for pizza, and a potential decrease in the price of pizza. However, the supply of pizza typically remains unchanged in the short term, assuming other factors affecting pizza supply remain constant. 9. Describe the role of prices in market economies. Prices in market economies serve as information signals, rationing mechanisms, incentives for producers, and drivers of resource allocation and efficiency. They play a fundamental role in coordinating economic decisions and ensuring that resources are used effectively to meet consumer preferences.
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